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1 Kwathi uJeremiya eseqedile ukutshela abantu wonke amazwi kaThixo uNkulunkulu wabo, konke uThixo ayemthume ukuthi abatshele khona, 2 u-Azariya indodana kaHoshayiya, loJohanani indodana kaKhareya labo bonke abantu abazigqajayo bathi kuJeremiya, “Uqamba amanga! UThixo uNkulunkulu wethu kakuthumanga ukuba uthi, ‘Akumelanga liye eGibhithe ukuyahlala khona.’ 3 Kodwa uBharukhi indodana kaNeriya uyakutshotshozela ukuba usinikele kumaKhaladiya ukuba asibulale kumbe asise ekuthunjweni eBhabhiloni.”
4 Ngakho uJohanani indodana kaKhareya lazozonke izikhulu zebutho kanye labantu bonke kabalilalelanga ilizwi likaThixo lokuthi bahlale elizweni lakoJuda. 5 Esikhundleni salokho, uJohanani indodana kaKhareya lezikhulu zonke zebutho bathatha bonke ababesele koJuda ababebuyele koJuda ukuyahlala khona bevela ezizweni zonke ababekade behlakazelwe kuzo. 6 Bathatha lamadoda wonke, labesifazane bonke kanye labantwana bonke, lamadodakazi enkosi lawo uNebhuzaradani umlawuli wabalindi ayewatshiye loGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhami, indodana kaShafani, loJeremiya umphrofethi kanye loBharukhi indodana kaNeriya. 7 Ngakho bangena eGibhithe bedelela uThixo, bahamba baze bayafika eThahiphanesi.
8 Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kuJeremiya eThahiphanesi lisithi, 9 “Thatha amatshe amakhulu uwagqibele enhlabathini endaweni egandelwe ngezitina, amaJuda bekhangele, esangweni lesigodlo sikaFaro eThahiphanesi, 10 uthi kubo, ‘UThixo uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi: Ngizabiza inceku yami uNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni, njalo ngizabeka isihlalo sakhe sobukhosi phezu kwamatshe la engiwambele lapha; uzakwendlala ithente lakhe lobukhosi phezu kwawo. 11 Uzakuza ahlasele iGibhithe, alethe ukufa kulabo abamiselwe ukufa, lokuthunjwa kulabo abamiselwe ukuthunjwa, lenkemba kulabo abamiselwe inkemba. 12 Uzawathungela ngomlilo amathempeli abonkulunkulu bamaGibhithe; uzawatshisa amathempeli abo athumbe labonkulunkulu bawo. Njengomelusi ezithandela ngesembatho sakhe, ngokunjalo laye uzazithandela ngeGibhithe asuke khona engalimalanga. 13 Khonale eGibhithe, ethempelini lelanga, uzadiliza izinsika ezikhonzwayo njalo uzatshisa amathempeli abonkulunkulu beGibhithe.’ ”